Victims of Love
by Screaming Faeries
Summary: Fleur has been trying to hide a dreadful mistake for nearly two years, but during a family party she is forced to accept the consequences of her mistake.


**Written For:**

\- Menagerie of Pairings: Charlie/Fleur, (scenario) stuck in a room together, (dialogue)

\- September Event: (object) Calendar, (dialogue) "Remember to blow out the candles next time you sneak out."

 **Word Count:** 999

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Victoire's baptism party was proving to be an absolute nightmare for Fleur. For almost two years, she had lived in blissful ignorance of her past mistakes, hoping that they would never rear their ugly head again, allowing her to live in marital harmony with her husband, Bill. But that had all changed when Bill had insisted that they throw a party at Shell Cottage for their daughter's baptism.

Naturally, Bill and his enormous family had been all for the idea, and Fleur couldn't explain why she just wouldn't rather have a huge party at their small cottage. She had spent two years avoiding the source of her mistake, whenever he came back to England from Romania. If he 'popped' in to Shell Cottage to pay a visit to his older brother, Fleur would 'pop' out of the back door and apparate somewhere safe. If she got wind that he was going to be at the Burrow during Bill and Fleur's weekly visits, she would make up some excuse to get out of it. Up until now, everything had been going smoothly.

But then Bill had to invite Charlie Weasley to Victoire's baptism, and naturally Fleur couldn't get out of it. She had hoped and prayed that Charlie would be too tied up with work to come back to England. Her prays had fallen on deaf ears.

She spent the day making sure that she stayed in the thick of the crowd, never breaking away for fear of ending up alone with Charlie. His eyes burned into her for the whole day, but Fleur stayed strong, counting the hours down silently.

But her efforts were all in vain.

"Bill, could you go and check the clock to see where Gabrielle is?" Fleur asked her husband. When they were married, Molly and Arthur had made Fleur and Bill a magical clock just like theirs, and since Gabrielle stayed at the cottage quite often, a hand had been made especially for her. "She wandered off about an 'our ago, I don't want 'er getting lost."

Bill was juggling a screaming Victoire in his arms, whilst also trying to keep a conversation going with his Aunt Muriel. "Can't you do it, darling?" he muttered, using his free hand to wipe his sweaty forehead.

Casting a glance around the living room, Fleur sighed. Charlie was nowhere in sight, which meant that he wouldn't see her vanish from the room for just a few moments. She nodded and rushed out of the living room quickly, heading for the cupboard under the stairs.

She reached the door to the room under the stairs, glaring at the paper calendar that hung on the back of the door. Bill had circled the date in red pen and wrote: "I can't wait!" within the box.

"I could wait," she muttered, hating the calendar for mocking her. She pulled the door open and peered inside, where the clock hung on the wall. As it was made from dark oak and didn't match any of the pale, floaty décor of the cottage, Fleur had insisted that the clock remain out of sight.

Once she had spotted Gabrielle's hand, which rested snugly on 'Shell Cottage', along with the rest of the hands, she began to retreat from the cupboard. However, no sooner had she backed out onto the corridor when something heavy connected with her back, pushing her back into the cupboard. "Hey!" she yelled, but the door was pulled shut behind her assailant, and she was plunged into darkness.

She tried to reach for the handle, but her fist connected with something warm and fleshy, like a stomach. Rearing her hand back, she felt shame welling in her chest. "Charlie?" she whispered.

A bulb of light appeared between them, cast from Charlie's wand, and her eyes connected with his warm, honey brown ones. She shuddered from head to toe. "I've been trying to get a minute alone with you all day. You've been avoiding me."

"Obviously," Fleur muttered dryly. "I 'ave nothing to say to you, Charlie."

"Really? It's been nearly two years since you left me in my bed. I have a piece of advice for you," he leaned forward, so that his mouth was close to her ear. "You should remember to blow out the candles next time you sneak out."

Fleur shoved him roughly, so that he fell back against the door. "It was a mistake!" she hissed. "It was _a lot_ of mistakes! I love my 'usband, Charlie—your brother! It 'ad to stop!"

"You don't love him, you told me," Charlie composed himself after losing his balance, and reached out to touch her face. She slapped his hand away, but allowed him to linger close to her ear once again. "You told me every time you were on the cusp of unravelling when we were making love." His voice was smooth and hot and buttery, causing something deep within Fleur to stir.

"Oh, _merde_ ," she whispered, hating herself. "You seduced me, _enfoiré."_

"You made your own decisions," his mouth was close to hers now; they were less than an inch apart. He was breathing heavily, desperately. "You wanted it as much as I did."

"Bill is your brother."

"I don't care. I love you." Before Fleur could reply, Charlie had closed the gap between them, his lips melting into hers. They kissed passionately and quickly, as though they were trying to make up for the last two years within each others mouths. Charlie's hand slid up the front of Fleur's shirt, and she pushed him back. They broke apart, gasping for breath.

"I can't do this."

"I know, Fleur," Charlie muttered, wiping his bruised lips. "I know that Victoire is my baby."

Fleur slipped onto the floor of the cupboard, placing her hands over her eyes. She was the product of her biggest mistake, and she had done nothing but try and hide the truth from everyone, including herself.

But the truth couldn't stay hidden for long.

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